Ski lift



y 4, 1954 M. J. HAUSEMAN 2,677,331

I SKI LIFT Filed July 26, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig 5- In uentor g 'vMarlyn J. Hauseman May 4, 1954 M. J. HAUSEMAN SKI LIFT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed July 26, 1949 Inventor Marl yr; J Houseman May 4, 1954 J. HAUSEMANSKI LIFT 4 Sheets-$heet 3 Filed July 26. 1949 4 Inventor Marlyn J.Hauseman MM Attorney y 4, 1954 M. J. HAUSEMAN 2,677,331

SKI LIFT Filed July 26. 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v A I M 7bw/hcb 2 2 266 ToAnchor 234 Marlyn J. Hausem an IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 4, 1954 SKI LIFT Marlyn J. Hauseman, Bozeman,

Mont, assignor to Bridger Ski Lift, Incorporated, Bozeman, Mont, acorporation of Montana Application July 26, 1949, Serial No. 106,881

6 Claims. 1 This invention relates to a towing apparatus and moreparticularly appertains to a ski tow apparatus for towing skiers up aninclination.

to tow or pull skiers up a hill at an even and constant rate of speedwithout imparting any shock to the skier, especially during accelerationof the skier from a standing position to the velocity of the tow.

These and ancillary objects and structural features of merit areattained by this invention, a referred embodiment of which is set forthin following description and illustrated in the companying drawings,wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view showing the ski tow apparatus inassembled arrangement for towing skiers up a hill;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the driving means forthe tow rope or similar member;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the driving means;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper tower assemblyof the apparatus, which anchored at the top of the hill;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the lower tower assembly;

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevational View of the carrier member andintermediate guide means for the tow rope;

Figure 7 is a view taken on line 11 of Figure 6, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure 8 a top plan view of the guide means;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the spring box for the carriermember;

Figure 19 is a sectional view taken on line iii-56 of Figure 9;

Figure ll is a front elevational view of the intermediate towerassembly;

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the intermediate tower assembly,and

Figure 13 is a side elevational view of the upper tower assembly.

In Figure 1, the ski tow apparatus H] is illustrated in assembledarrangement for towing skiers up a hill I 2 and generally includes anendless or continuous towing rope or similar flexible member M fromwhich depends at spaced points carrier members 16. The rope is driven bya drive means [8, which is mounted at the foot of the hill or slide andis supported at the top of the hill by a supporting structure 26 withintermediate guide means 22 being provided and disposed along the hill.

The drive means [8 and supporting structure therefor includes a basemember 24, which is anchored by suitable fastening members to a cementblock or other anchoring means, which is embedded in the ground. A pairof uprights or standards 25 and 28 extend upwardly and inwardly relativeto each other from the base member. The convergent standards are formedwith attaching plates 30 at their lower ends, the plates being pivotedto apertured ears 32 formed integrally on the base member by boltassemblies 34.

A cap member 36 is provided with downward- 1 extending integral sleevesor tubular extensions 38 which are disposed on the upper converging endsof the standards. An intermediate standard iii is provided at its lowerend with parallel projecting extensions 42 which are pivotally securedat their lower ends to a complementary pair of apertured ears 44. A capmember 46 is secured on the upper end of the standard 40 and a U-shapedsupporting plate 48 is integrally formed on the cap member. A shaft 50is journaled between the parallel legs of the supporting plate and abank of pulleys 52 are rotatably disposed on the shaft. A pair ofcomplementary cars 54 extend or project rearwardly from the cap member36 and a pair of pulleys 58 are journaled on a shaft 58, which isjournaled in the cars. A flexible member 59 is trained over the pulleys52 and 53, the member having one end secured to the cap member 35 andthe opposite end secured to a weight 58. Restraining or anchoring cables62 are secured to an offset section 64 of the cap member 46 and areanchored to the ground by stakes or other means.

In this manner, the supporting standards 26 and 28, which support thedrive means it are tensioned and held in a proper vertical position.

Supporting means 86 supports the drive means and includes a U-shapedframe 68 to which is secured, adjacent the web portion thereof, a pairof downwardly extending side bars 15 and if. A supporting platform '1extends rearwardly from the lower ends of the side bars 19 and i2 and isdisposed in substantial parallelism with the upper forwardly extendingU-shaped frame 68. A prime mover 15 is mounted on the platform 74 and abank of pulleys T8 are fixed on the extending drive shaft thereof. Atransversely disposed bar 82 is secured to the web portion of the frame68 and a parallel transversely disposed 3 bar 84 is secured between theopposing legs of the frame 68 forwardly of the bar 82. Bearing blocks 85are secured to the upper faces of the bars and a driven shaft 88 isrotatably disposed therein. A bank of pulleys 90 are secured on therearwardly extending end of the shaft as in vertical alignment with thepulleys 18 and are drivingly connected thereto by means of belts 82.

A housing 94 is supported between the outer ends of the frame 68 and ashaft 95 is vertically disposed therein. A gear 98 is carried by theshaft in intermeshing engagement with a worm I fixed on the shaft 88. Adrive wheel or pulley IOI is secured on the lower end of the shaft andis rotated through the drive arrangement including the shaft 88 and thegear 88.

A U-shaped flexible guide member I02 embraces a portion of the pulley ordrive wheel NH and is held in a suspended horizontal position from theframe 08 by supporting bars I83. The guide member is formed withoutwardly turned unattached ends I043, which project forwardly of thedrive wheel. A pair of vertically disposed pulleys I08 and I98 arerotatably carried by stub axles IIO extending laterally from supportingarms H2. The arms II2 are secured to the terminating portions of theopposing legs of the frame 68 and project forwardly and downwardlytherefrom in an inclined plane relative to the periphery of the drivewheel.

The pulleys I06 and IE8 function to retain the cable I4 in engagementwith the drive pulley I81 and to guide the outgoing and return reachesof the cable into contact of the drive pulley.

The guide means 22 includes an intermediately positioned tower structureH ll, which includes an angle iron base member H6 on which areintegrally formed a pair of complementary apertured ears H8. A tubularsupporting member 520 is pivotally secured at its lower end between thecars by a pivot pin I22 and is formed adjacent its upper end with aseries of vertically spaced transversely disposed openings !24. Acomplementary tubular member I25 is slidably disposed in the tubularmember I20 and is formed with a series of transversely disposed spacedopenings, which are alignable with the openings I24 to receive a pinI28. A pair of rigidifying or bracing bars I32 and i32 are secured to apair of laterally extending oifset sections I34 on the upper end of thetubular member 520 and are pivotally secured at their lower ends toupstanding ears I36 formed integrally on the base men1 her IIG.Anchoring cable assemblies I33, of Y- shaped formation, shown in Fig.11, are provided at each the upgrade and the down-grade sides of thetower structure I It, as shown in Fig. l, the branches I39 of each cableassembly being secured to the opposing ends of a cross piece his whichis welded or otherwise secured midway between its ends on the upper endof the tubular member I26. The stems MI of the cable assemblies I38 aresecured to stakes or pegs I42 which are anchored in the ground at aninclined angle away from the vertical plane of the tubular members, withthe base member 2 it secured by spikes I44 to a concrete block I46embedded in the ground.

The guide means for the outgoing and return reaches of the cable aresupported by the opposing ends of the cross piece 540. In this respect,attention is directed to Figures 6-8. A rod I48 is secured in theopposing ends of the cross piece I40. A supporting bar I50 istransversely secured to the outer end of the rod I48 and a guide bar I52is secured parallel to the bar I50 by bolts I54, the bar I52 beingspaced from the bar I59 by bushings I56 concentrically disposed on thebolts. The guide bar is formed with inwardly directed opposing ends I58and IE0. The bar functions as a cam bar to space the carrier members I6from the support bar I50, as the cable is driven and carries thecarriers upwardly and downwardly.

A pulley I62 is rotatably journaled to the bar I50 in a verticalposition below the cable I4. A complementary pulley IE l is resilientlymounted above the pulley I02, so that the cable I4 is guided between thetwo vertically aligned pulleys. The pulley I64 is rotatably journaled onthe outer end of a supporting arm I66 which is povotally secured as atI68 to an upwardly extending supporting bar I10, the bar being securedat its lower end in an inclined plane to the support bar I50. A rod I12is formed with a lateral end I14 which is disposed through thesupporting bar I50 and is formed with a threaded end upon which issecured a nut I16. The rod extends upwardly and rearwardly from the bar56.

The rod I12 is formed with an externally threaded upper end I18 uponwhich is secured a nut I30. The rod extends through a vertical openingin the arm I66 and a stop plate I32 is formed integrally thereon with aspring I24 concentrically disposed about the rod and positioned betweenthe stop plate I82 and the nut I80. In this manner, the arm IE5 is heldunder resilient tension, so that the pulley I64 is held in complementaryrelation with the pulley I52. However, the pulley I6 l is allowed tomove upwardiy and to be spaced from the pulley i62, upon entrance of theattaching means for the carrier units between the two pulleys.

An idler fiat pulley I86 is horizontally positioned on a horizontalextension I88, the pulley being rotatably disposed on a vertical shaftI90, so that the periphery thereof is disposed in engagement with thecable It for guiding the cable between and retaining the cable inengagement of the two pulleys I02 and I64.

The carrier units include a bead or pressed sleeve I92, which may be inthe form of a clamp common in the art, is secured at spaced intervals onthe cable I4. A spindle or shaft I9 3 extends laterally from the beadand is provided with a coaxially reduced end. An arm i96 is formed witha sleeve end I98, which is osciilatably disposed on the reduced end ofthe shaft I514. The arm I is formed at its lower end with an inturnedoffset extremity I99 to which is pivotally secured by means of a pair ofintegral apertured ears 2!!!) a spring box 202.

With respect to Figures 9 and 10, it is to be noted that the spring box202 is formed with a reduced casing 206 which is secured to one side ofthe box. A shaft 285 is rotatably journaled transversely in the box andcasing and a reel 208 is fixed on the shaft. The reel is disposed withinthe box 202. The reel is formed with a split periphery 2I0, .atransversely disposed pin 2 I2 being positioned in the cut out portionof the hub. A line is secured to the shaft 206, the line being disposedbetween the pin 252 and the adjacent end of the hub and extending aroundthe hub and outwardly at the bottom or open lower end of the box. Arewind spring structure 2I5 is disposed within the casing 204 andfunctions to rotate the shaft 205, so that the take-up line isautomatically rewound on the hub. The line is secured at its outer endto an arm 2M formed with an offset apertured lower end 2I8. The end 2;is slidably disposed on a guide rod 226, which is formed with alaterally disposed aperturned end 222 slidably disposed on the shank ofthe member 2 [4. A recoil spring 224 is disposed about the arm and a rod226 is formed integrally with the lower end of the member 226 with aseat 228 secured to the lower end of the rod.

Attention is now directed to Figures 4 and 13, wherein the upper towerstructure is illustrated in detail. The upper tower structure 26includes a base member 236, which is preferably an angle iron, havingthe horizontal portion thereof apertured as at 232 for receiving spikesor similar anchoring means, which are secured to a concrete block 234anchored in the ground. A pair of upstanding apertured ears 236 areintegrally formed on the horizontal portion of the angle iron andtubular uprights or standards 238, 246 and 242 are pivotally securedbetween the ears, the lower ends of the tubular members being mounted ona common pivot element 244 disposed transversely between the ears. Thetubular member 238 is disposed intermediate of the members 2 16 and 242and a cap member 2 36 is secured at the upper end thereof. A cable 24 3is secured at one end to the cap 246 and is entrained over a pulley 256rotatably journaled between a pair of plates 252, which extendintegrally from a superstructure 254 pivoted on the upper convergingends of the tubular members 2138 and 2A2.

Anchoring cables 256 extend from the cap 246 and may be anchored in theground by means of retaining stakes. The opposite end of the cable 248is secured to a winch (not shown). Thus, it can be seen that the supportor upright 238 is held in a desired inclined position by the anchoringcables and the supporting standards 246 and 242 are moved in adjustedvertically swinging positions by means of the cable and a winch orhoisting mechanism.

A pair of parallel supporting bars or plates 25? are integrally formedat one end with the body portion of superstructure 254 and an idlerpulley 256 is rotatably carried by the outer ends of the supportingplates and is disposed in a horizontal plane. A U-shaped guide member266 is suspended from the supporting plates by means of verticalconnecting bars 262 and a U- shaped supporting bar 264. A pair ofvertically disposed guide sheaves 266 are rotatably mounted onsupporting arms 268 which project forwardly from the legs of theU-shaped bar 264.

In operation, the cable is driven by the drive pulley l6i, which isoperated through the belt transmission system from the prime mover it.The cable is operatively disposed through the intermediate guidestructure and is entrained around the idler pulley 258 on the uppertower structure. The carriers are disposed at spaced points along thecable and suspend therefrom. When a skier sits on one of the seats ofthe carrier, as seen in Figure 1, the line is unwound on the hub and theshock absorber structure of the rods and spring between the rod 226 andthe line absorbs the initial shock. When the skier vacates the seat, therod 226 and seat move into the position shown in Figure 6 by means ofthe spring return structure.

The lift may be adjusted to dispose the reaches of the towing rope M atthe desired distance above the skiing surface of the hill I2, bymanipulation of the winch cable 248 (Fig. 13). Thus, by way of example,if it is desired to dispose the reaches of the towing rope M in a lowerzone than that shown in Fig. 1 due to a lowered skiing surface resultingfrom compacting or melting of the snow, the standards 246 and 242 (Figs.4 and 13) may be allowed to swing toward the standards 26 and 28 (Fig.5) at the foot of the hill. This results in the standards 26 and 2Bswinging in a direction away from the standards 246 and 242, at the topof the hill, the weight 66 becoming lowered during such adjustment andtaking up any slack in the flexible member 59. The flexible member 59,in association with bank of pulleys 56 and 56 and the weight 60 alsofunctions to keep the towing rope l4 tensioned throughout thisadjustment, and also while the lift is in use.

Of course, since other embodiments and purposes of this invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art, upon a perusal of theforegoing disclosure, in view of the accompanying drawings, it is to beunderstood that certain changes in size, style and arrangement of partsmay be eifected thereon, without a departure from the spirit of theinvention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a ski lift of the class for towing skiers up a hill wherein anendless towing rope is trained about a drive pulley and a driven pulley,and has reaches extending between said pulleys substantially parallelingthe inclined surface of the hill; the improvement which comprises: abase member, a pair of standards pivotally connected to said base memberand disposed in upwardly converging relation, a first cap memberconnecting the upper end portions of said standards, an in termediatestandard pivotally connected to said base at a zone intermediate theconnection of said pair of standards therewith, a second cap membersecured to the upper end of said intermediate standard, a bank ofpulleys rotatably carried by each said first and second cap mem bers, aflexible member secured at one end portion to said first cap member,extending therefrom toward said intermediate standard and trained aboutand back and forth between said banks of pulleys with its other endportion trained over one of the pulleys of the bank of pulleys carriedby said second cap member, a weight secured to the end of said lastmentioned end portion, anchoring cable means connected to said secondcap member, disposing said intermediate standard in an inclined positionto one side of the plane common to said pair of stand" ards, andsupporting and drive means for the drive pulley of the towing rope,carried by the upper portions of said pair of standards.

2. In a ski lift of the class for towing skiers up a hill wherein anendless towing rope is trained about a drive pulley and a driven pulleyand has reaches extending between said pulleys substantially parallelingthe inclined surface of the hill; the improvement which comprises: abase member, a pair of standards pivotally connected to said base memberand disposed in upwardly converging relation, a superstructure pivotallycarried at the upper end of said standards, rotatably supporting thedriven pulley, an intermediate standard pivotally connected to said baseat a zone intermediate the connection of said pair of standardstherewith, a cap member secured to the upper end of said intermediatestandard, an anchoring cable connected to said cap member, disposingsaid intermediate standard in an inclined position to one side of theplane common to said pair of standards and at the side thereof oppositethat to which said driven pulley is located, and a winch cableoperatively connected to said cap member and superstructure whereby therelative position of said pair of standards may be adjusted with respectto said intermediate standard.

3. In a ski lift of the class for towing skiers up a hill wherein anendless towing rope is trained about a drive pulley and a driven pulley,and has reaches extending between said pulleys substantially parallelingthe inclined surface of the hill; the improvement which comprises; afirst standard pivoted at its lower portion to swing toward and from thezone of the driven pulley, means carried by the upper portion of saidfirst standard rotatably supporting said drive pulley, a drive means,including a prime mover, operatively connected to the drive pulley,mounted upon the upper portion of said first standard, a second standardpivoted at its lower portion to swing toward and from the zone of saiddrive pulley, a superstructure mounted upon the upper end portion ofsaid second standard, rotatably supporting the driven pulley, meansoperatively connected to one of said standards for swinging it about itspivot and retaining it in a set position to space the reaches of thetowing rope a predetermined distance above the hill skiing surface, andmeans operatively connected to the other of said standards for yieldablyswinging it about its pivot in a direction to tension the towing rope.

4. In a ski lift of the class for towing skiers up a hill wherein anendless towing rope is trained about a drive pulley and a driven pulley,and has reaches extending between said pulleys substantially parallelingthe inclined surface of the hill; the improvement which comprises: afirst standard pivoted at its lower portion to swing toward and from thezone of the driven pulley, means carried by the upper portion of saidfirst standard rotatably supporting said drive pulley, a drive means,including a prime mover, operatively connected to the drive pulley,mounted upon the upper portion of said first standard, a second standardpivoted at its lower portion to swing toward and from the zone of saiddrive pulley, a superstructure mounted upon the upper end portion ofsaid second standard rotatably supporting the driven pulley, meansoperatively connected to said second standard for swinging it about itspivot and retaining it in a set position to space the reaches of thetowing rope a predetermined distance above the hill skiing surface, andmeans operatively connected to said first standard for yieldablyswinging it about its pivot in a direction to tension the towing rope.

5. In a ski lift of the class for towing skiers up a hill wherein anendless towing rope is trained about a drive pulley and a driven pulley,and has reaches extending between said pulleys substantially parallelingthe inclined surface of the hill; the improvement which comprises: abase, a first and a second standard pivotally carried upon said base,means carried by the upper portion of said first standard, supportingthe drive pulley of the towing rope to one side of said first standard,tensioning means to the other side of said first standard constructedand arranged to yieldably connect said first and second standards attheir upper end portions, and an anchoring cable connected to the upperend portion of said second standard and to the ground, disposing saidsecond standard in upwardly diverging relationship to said firststandard, whereby said last mentioned means yieldably tensions thetowing rope.

6. In a ski lift of the class for towing skiers up a hill wherein anendless towing rope is trained about a drive pulley and a driven pulley,and has reaches extending between said pulleys substantially parallelingthe inclined surface of the hill; the improvement which comprises: abase, a first and a second standard pivotally carried upon said base,means carried by the upper portion of said first standard, supportingthe drive pulley of the towing rope to one side of said first standard,tensioning means to the other side of said first standard constructedand arranged to yieldably connect said first and second standards attheir upper end portions, an anchoring cable connected to the upper endportion of said second standard and to the ground, disposing said secondstandard in upwardly diverging relationship to said first standard,whereby said last mentioned means yieldably tensions the towing rope, aprime mover, means carried by said first standard to the side thereofopposite said drive pulley and straddling said tensioning means,supporting said prime mover, and motion transmitting means operativelyconnecting said prime mover and drive pulley for imparting movement ofthe former to the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,076,337 Vogel et al Oct. 21, 1913 1,313,357 Watkins Aug. 19,1919 2,087,232 Constam July 20, 1937 2,152,235 Bannerman et al. Mar. 28,1939 2,181,519 Paquette Nov. 28, 1939 2,285,636 Wallace June 9, 1942FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 825,278 France Nov. 27, 1937

